In response to concerns raised by protesting former civil servants, the Lagos State Government has detailed on Facebook its disbursement of ₦168.2 billion to over 48,000 public sector retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) since 2007.
The state outlined several recent financial interventions aimed at mitigating rising living costs. For former staff under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS), the government provided a ₦25,000 wage award to over 10,000 individuals between December 2023 and February 2024, followed by pension increases of 20 per cent and 28 per cent in March 2025. In May 2026, the state matched the Federal Government’s ₦32,000 pension wage award for its DBS retirees, a step that more than doubled the total pension wage bill.
Regarding current payments, the Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) has disbursed over ₦4 billion to 1,862 retirees so far in 2026, with an additional ₦1 billion earmarked for 700 individuals within the next week.
Between May 2019 and the present, more than 25,000 retirees have received ₦92 billion in accrued rights. Explaining the structure of these payouts, the government stated:
“Accrued rights, it should be noted, comprise both the gratuity and pension elements owed to a retiring officer, and this administration has prioritized the prompt and full settlement of both components.”
To strengthen the overall framework, the state raised pension contribution rates in 2020 to 10 per cent for employers and eight per cent for employees. A major milestone was reached in July 2024, when a lump sum of ₦5 billion was released to 1,963 retirees to eliminate pension arrears under the CPS.
The government noted:
“This administration has been particularly deliberate in expediting the payment of accrued rights, releasing additional funding specifically to clear outstanding backlogs. This resolve culminated in a landmark achievement in July 2024, when a single-batch payment of N5 billion was made to 1,963 retirees, an intervention that cleared all outstanding backlog in pension obligations under the CPS.”
To support ailing pensioners, the state has implemented a fast-tracked gratuity process while continuing to pay pension portions into their Retirement Savings Accounts. Additionally, biannual welfare support schemes are conducted to assist former officers.
The government maintained that these measures highlight the administration’s continuous commitment to the welfare of Lagos State retirees.